The Truth About the 'Screaming' Animal in the Hudson Valley

There's no mistaking the famous noise... and once you hear it, you'll never forget the way it sounds.

There's no other way to describe it than a blood-curdling scream, and it seems like it would be far more at home in a horror movie than interrupting a random night in New York State. Now, officials are helping residents learn about the real culprit behind the murder noises.

Many Hudson Valley residents have reported hearing screaming late at night, but they might be blaming the wrong animal (NYS DEC via Facebook)

Nighttime Screams Heard in Hudson Valley Neighborhoods

The first time I heard the scream, I was laying in bed in my house in Newburgh. The sound, which could only be described as a demon trying to lure you into the woods by impersonating a person in distress, was one of the strangest things I had ever experienced.

The screams sound less like an animal call and more like a person in distress (NYS DEC via Facebook)

What Animal Makes Screaming Noises in the Hudson Valley?

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently took to social media to clear up some rumors about who (or what) was causing such a racket in the middle of the night. As it turns out, one creature has been wrongly accused for years.

The NYS DEC shares that although fishers are often blamed for the screaming noises, the culprit is most likely a different animal (NYS DEC via Facebook)

What Noises Do Fishers Make?

"This fisher wants you to know that you probably have the wrong idea. It’s not them keeping you up all night with that screaming", they began (below). The NYS DEC continued by sharing that while fishers weren't screaming, another animal almost certainly was.

As the NYS DEC explained, the terrifying nighttime screams are most likely coming from red foxes. Take a listen to the video below to see if the sound matches the shrieks you may have heard in your own backyard.

The NYS DEC continued to list owl, coyotes, and bobcats as other nighttime noise culprits. "[Bobcats] sound like a newborn being murdered", said one eloquent commenter.